Jordan labor officer denies operating OFW sex ring

MANILA, Philippines - One of the Philippine labor officials tagged in the alleged sex-for-fly scheme denied that he is involved in the sexual exploitation and prostitution rings victimizing overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in the Middle East.

 

Mario Antonio, assistant labor attaché in Amman, Jordan, dismissed the accusations of Akbayan Party-list Rep. Walden Bello that he prostitutes female OFWs who have problems with their work and employers.

 

"Nakakagulat po 'yung ganyang paratang dahil hindi po 'yun mangyayari sa Jordan... Siguro 'yan ay bunga po ng mga nasasagasaang ahensya na pinipilit makuha 'yung workers natin dun na humihingi ng tulong para sila ay tugunan," Antonio said in a radio interview on Wednesday.

 

"Gagawa sila (recruitment agencies) ng paraan para siraan 'yun pong tulad naming nanunungkulan sa Jordan," he added.

 

On Tuesday, Bello accused Antonio of letting out at night some OFWs in the shelter in Amman to meet a wealthy Palestinian man in the city.

 

"Witnesses claim that he charges a John as much as $1,000 a night for the services of one OFW. He is, in effect, running a prostitution ring, using distressed OFWs. This man's activities are so disreputable and illegal that the government of Jordan has requested that he be removed," said Bello, who is the chairman of the House committee on overseas workers' affairs.

 

Bello also accused a certain Kim from Damascus, Syria for allegedly being involved with intimate relationships with at least four distressed OFWs.

 

He also tagged a Blas Marquez from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Kuwait for being involved in a sex-for-hire business in the Filipino Workers' Resource Center in the country.

 

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has ordered an investigation on the alleged scheme in the Middle East.

 

“I am resolved to get into the bottom of any accusation of wrongdoing against our people to uphold their credibility and integrity, whether or not the allegations are malicious or with basis,” Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in an earlier statement.

 

“The DOLE does not condone any inappropriate act of any of its official and personnel, most especially if it involves the performance of their official duties," she added.

 

Malacañang assured that the Department of Foreign Affairs is already looking into the matter.

 

“To this date, we have not received any formal complaint from the alleged victims which is why we are encouraging those with information or those who have been victimized by these alleged practices to come forward and to file complaints because the DFA is more than willing to act on them,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said.